Adopted
Caelin is great! The best dog we have ever had. To be honest, he has been too wonderful for words. He is a great companion to our three kids and two cats. He loves to carry his toys (which number around 15 now, and all of them came from the kids stuffed animal collection) and lie on his bed, or in the doorway, or anywhere else we are. He goes crazy when we jump on the trampoline or when the kids play in their kiddy pool—he just wants to be included. He has never had an accident, and besides his stuffed animal fetish, is absolutely the most wonderful animal blessing we have ever received.
He also has had a wonderful sense of need. When my mother (not a dog person) visited us a few months ago, Caelin somehow knew that she was real weak on her left side (she has been going through chemo for bone cancer, and a large bone lesion has been sitting in her hip). Caelin slowly walked by my mother everywhere she went, staying on her left side as sort of a cane or support. He took good care of her and by the time she left she was calling him "Big Red" and still refers to him as such on the phone when she asks how he is doing.
I am getting ready to start grad school, and at some point in the future we will probably get another rescue Golden for Caelin to play with. I can only hope the new one is as good as the original. I have attached a few photos that document some of Caelin's adventures.
Keep up the good work. Our family is committed to giving Caelin the best life possible. Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions/concerns.
Caelin
is a big, gorgeous, loving boy with an absolute perfect blend of all the great
Golden attributes you could hope for. He’s quite striking, too—we get
compliments on him wherever we go. At 3 years old, he is at the perfect age:
still full of energy and playful, but not destructive and not too rambunctious,
as younger Goldens can be. He is also incredibly well behaved. We have fostered
several Goldens, and he is the first dog I feel perfectly comfortable leaving
loose in the house for 8 hours a day after only having had him with us for one
night! He has not destroyed a single item and is 100% housebroken.
The thing I like most about Caelin’s personality is not just that he is so
loving and happy, but he is also not too needy. Goldens are so people-oriented
that sometimes you’ll find they are glued to your side when you are home. Caelin
is happy as a clam when you come home and will parade around the house with his
favorite stuffed toy in his mouth, but after playtime, he is content to relax on
his bed. He genuinely just likes knowing you are there and he doesn’t have to be
next to you at all times. Occasionally he will give a soft bark to let you know
he is still around and he wants to be loved on, but that is as pushy as he gets!
Like most dogs, he is a counter surfer, but as long as you keep things picked up
and food items out of his reach he is never tempted to get into too much
mischief. He knows the basics of SIT, STAY, HEEL, and COME, but he could use
some consistency when it comes to reinforcing these behaviors.
Even
though Caelin is a large Golden, he does not have the alpha personality you
might expect from such a big boy. He gets along with anyone and anything. He
loves our three cats but he doesn’t push his luck when they hiss at him. He is
also a fantastic playmate for our other Golden. They play for hours on end,
never tiring of each other’s company. Because he is somewhat self-sufficient, I
think Caelin would be fine in a home without other pets, but as with any Golden,
the more people or animal stimulation you can give him the better. He loves
kids—but beware, he doesn’t know how big he is! He could inadvertently knock a
toddler over when he gets excited and starts wiggling.
My favorite story about Caelin comes from his wonderful first owner, who had to
give him up when life changes made it impossible for her to keep him. She told
us that she has a seizure disorder and that Caelin would intuitively know when
she was ill and would stay next to her when she was having a seizure. Once, when
she was bedridden for more than 24 hours, he would not leave her side and stayed
pressed against her back the entire time she was in bed. He is a truly
remarkable boy who is eager to love a new family and have someone dote on him in
return. If I didn’t already have four other pets I would keep him in a
heartbeat! Some lucky family out there is going to hit the jackpot with this
boy. Guaranteed.